Arriving home just before 1 Kate closed the door quietly,
entering the kitchen she dropped her handbag on the bench looking across at the table in confusion when she saw it all decked out with fancy glasses, plates, wine in an ice bucket and a bouquet of flowers
"Ah yeah have it delivered that'd be great" he answered entering from the back door he stopped "Look I've got to go, yep thanks for that" he replied hanging up
"What's all this?" she looked at him in confusion
"I thought we could have a romantic lunch but I wasn't expecting you home so late, the ice is well.. it's a little melted" he looked into the ice bucket raising an eyebrow
"You did all this?"
"Well yeah"
"Mike it's…"
"I thought you deserved something special after the week you've had" he shifted pulling out a chair for her
"To be fair it's kind of your fault" she teased moving to sit down
"And this is my way of making it up to you" he kissed the top of her head pushing her chair in slightly before moving to sit at him own
"So where's the food?"
"Well I haven't actually cooked it yet, like I said you kinda didn't show up for lunch"
"Right…"
"But I do have wine?" he lifted the bottle from the ice bucket
"On an empty stomach?"
"Yeah your probably right…" he slowly placed it back down
"I'm sorry Mike… I ruined your plans" she looked at him sadly
"Are you kidding? Kate your meeting with Maxine was way more important"
"Yeah…"
"Speaking of which how'd it go?"
"Um as good as can be expected with Commander White" she fiddled nervously in her lap
"That's all? She didn't give you a lecture or…"
"Ah… she told me I had to stay on Hammersley until my rotation is up, does that count?"
"She what?"
"It's really not a big deal"
"Kate that's another two more years"
"I know but maybe it'll be good for us, it'll give me more experience for when I do go for a shore posting…"
"I get that but how will it be good for us with you out at sea every day and me stuck here twiddling my thumbs" he sighed arising to stand
"Well whose fault in that" she moved placing an arm on the back of her chair when he paced behind her
"What?"
"You quit Mike; I didn't ask you to do that but you did it anyway without consulting me"
"Kate…"
"Didn't you even begin to wonder what the fallout would be from it?"
"And the fallout is you having to stay on the boat for two more years and somehow I don't think your that upset about it"
"Of course I am! I don't want this anymore then you, I wanted off the boat Mike but…"
"How is this fair for me Kate? Or for our future?" he interrupted her
"Now you want to talk about the future what about when I wanted to talk a year ago" she turned back to face the table
"I know this is all confusing for you" he moved sitting back down he pulled his chair close to hers his hand coming to rest on hers
"I'm exhausted I can't do it anymore…"
"I know, and Maxine threatening you dosen't help either I get that"
"She never was one to make things easy"
"But you've got to trust I know what I'm doing, leaving the Navy Kate… it wasn't that hard of a decision"
"But what if you regret it… the Navy was your life since you were eighteen"
"Have I ever done anything in my life I've come to regret?"
"Mike…"
"Trust me… I'm working on something new, a plan in which we can move forward.. together"
"What kind of plan?" she raised an eyebrow when he pulled a hand back reaching into his pocket
"Kate…" he took a deep breath pulling out a small box he rested it on the table near their hands
"Is that…" she teared up slightly when he opened the box to reveal a 4-carat gold diamond ring with the diamond cut into the shape of an anchor
"I know things have never been easy for us but this… this could be our fresh start so… with my heart on my sleeves Kate will you marry me?"
"We…."
"Kate?"
"I..." she began saying when her phone rang "I better get that…" she cleared her throat arising to stand she moved past him picking up the interfering object
"Sure…" he sighed sitting back in his chair listening into her conversation he turned to look at her when she neared the end
"Sure I'll be there soon" she answered before hanging up
"Something wrong?"
"Nikki needs me down at the ship…."
"Can't it wait?" he asked hopeful when she stopped back next to him
"You know I can't…"
"No.. I get it" he nodded slowly
"I'm sorry"
"It's fine" he moved to stand
"Look Mike about the.." she watched him sadly when he closed the ring box leaving it on the table
"Oh don't worry about it there more important things then a silly ring" he forced a smile
"Mike…" she placed a hand on his chest stopping him
"You should go" he leaned down kissing her cheek softly he hovered slightly his eyes meeting hers wishing she'd beg him to stay
"I should…" she stepped back slightly
"Yeah" he nodded forcing a smile he moved past her and down the hall, the click of the door shutting behind him.
Walking across the gangway 20 minutes later Kate saluted Thor before stepping onto the deck
"Kate you made it"
"Yeah, what's going on?" she looked around in confusion at empty boat
"Well…"
"Nikki?"
"Someone may or may not have set fire to the laundry room the biggest suspect is 2Dads"
"He what?"
"Charge evacuated the ship but to be honest no one really knows what happened"
"He's been playing with the stupid lighter he carries around again hasn't he"
"See that's the thing…"
"What?"
"Um…"
"Nikki spit it out" Kate huffed
"2Dads can't be located…"
"What do you mean? Isn't he the one who set fire to the laundry room?"
"Yes… well maybe… but he kind of disappeared"
"Disappeared?"
"Yes like poof, gone" she motioned with her hands
"I don't understand"
"One of the juniors saw him entering the laundry and then the fire broke out and when we evacuated the ship 2Dads was no where to be seen"
"Well did anyone see him leave the laundry room?"
"Ah no, not that I'm aware of"
"Have you done a head count?"
"X no one's seen him"
"For god sake, it's 2Dads how can you miss him" she sighed moving towards the hatch
"X…"
"You check in with Charge I'll check the ship"
"X he's not in there"
"Just do as I ask Nav" she snapped moving through the hatch.
'Call me away for a Fricken sailor who is too much trouble then he's worth' she muttered to herself walking through the ship
"2Dads!" she called out walked down to the lower deck "2Dads, you here?"
"X?" a muffled voice replied
"2Dads is that you?"
"Yes!"
"Where the hell are you?" she questioned walking past his cabin
"I'm in here!" he replied banging on the door,
moving around the corner she fiddled with the door pulling it back it opened
"What the hell are you doing in the store room?" she looked at him in confusion
"I was…"
"You were stealing food again?"
"Maybe" he shrugged moving out into the hall
"You were locked in there the whole time?" she pushed the door closed
"Yeah, for the last two hours no one heard me over the fire alarm and they all evacuated the ship"
"So the fire in the laundry it wasn't you?"
"How stupid do you think I am?" he raised an eyebrow
"One of the junior's saw you entering the laundry room"
"Well I don't know who because like I said I've been locked in there for two hours"
"What the hell is going on?" she began to walk down the corridor to the laundry room
"There's been no fire in here X" 2Dads shook his head when they stopped n the doorway
"What…"
"Someone's set off the alarm" he moved into the room picking up the slightly scorched piece of paper
"I don't…" she turned when she heard footsteps
"Ah… hi…" they stopped near the stairs
"Oi!" she yelled running towards them when they turned running off
"X?" he pointed his head out of the room
"2Dads, there's someone on the ship"
"What?"
"Someone who shouldn't be here!" she skidded to a holt at the end of the corridor losing sight of them 'Dammit'
"Who was it?" 2Dads stopped behind her
"Call NAVCOM tell them to lock down the docks"
"What?"
"Just do it 2Dads!" she huffed pushing him towards the Comsend.
...
"Nikki!" he yelled running along the docks
"Boss" she turned to face him
"Any word?"
"Not since the X got 2Dads to call NAVCOM half an hour ago"
"And no one's been on or off the ship?"
"Only our guys" she pointed to the ones that had their guns trained on Hammersley
"I don't understand how could someone get on Hammersley?"
"We only had two people on watch Sir"
"The Navy base is a secure location"
"The supplies were delivered today so I don't think anyone really questioned it"
"If someone got onto Hammersley without being seen what exactly were they looking for?"
"I don't…." she begun saying before a sound of gunshot echoed out of Hammersley
"Was that?"
"Gunfire.."
"Nikki where's Kate?" he looked around the dock
"She's…" she struggled when more gunfire was heard
"Boss!" Charge pointed towards Hammersley when the side hatch opened and a figure moved out stumbling
"Kate?" he looked closely his eyes widening when he noticed the blood before she dropped to the floor "KATE!" he yelled running past everyone onto the boat
"BOSS! It's not safe!" Nikki called after him
"Kate?" he dropped to his knees, turning her over he pulled her into his arms "Oh god…" he teared up placing a hand over her gut wound she hissed
"2Dads.. he got…" she struggled
"No, no don't talk"
"I…"
"SOMEONE CALL AN AMBULANCE!" Mike yelled looking across at the docks "Why weren't you wearing a kit?"
"The… it's locked… no gun or kit…"
"You mean the gunshots were the other person?"
"2Dads he…" she took a deep breath
"Kate?" he brushed his free hand across her cheek
"The… the person who is on the ship it's…"
"Who? Who is it?"
"White…" she muttered closing her eyes
"No, no, no stay with me"
"Knocker sent… she sent to steal our files…"
"What?"
"Mike…" she struggled reaching a hand up and placing it against his cheek "I'm sorry…"
"We don't need to talk about that now…" he placed his hand over hers
"There's no.. no one else… I'd rather marry…"
"Kate…." he struggled when a pair of footsteps echoed down the docks and across the gangway
"I… love you…" she smiled sadly her hand dropping a few seconds later
"Kate!"
"Sir we need to see to her" a officer placed a hand on his shoulder
"She…"
"Let us take it from here" another one answered moving her out of his arms they checked her pulse and wound, Mike watched from his spot against the railing.
(So a bit of unexpected drama... Do hope you enjoy Xx)